Merry Christmas, Rinoa
by Tenshi3
Summary: Christmas; a time to be happy, right? Not for Rinoa Heartilly! Can Squall change her views on Christmas?


heyz! yea, i know, im still workin on chapter nine of Blood and Love, but i wanted tew write a fic on christmas, sho, ta dah! ^^ for those who dont read Blood and Love, yooh should read et and review! nah, jp, yooh dont have tew read et, but at least review this story, kz? sorrwie if the characters are a lido ooc! enjoy! ~Tenshi  
  
***Merry Christmas, Rinoa***  
  
I walked glumly on the brightly decorated halls of Balamb Garden. Everyone  
  
around me were wearing red, green, and white. The colors of Christmas. I felt a little  
  
out of place with my black and blue clothing. I sighed. Christmas time always  
  
brought back unwanted memories.  
  
"Hey Rinoa!" greeted Selphie, who was wearing a red replica of her orange  
  
dress.  
  
"Why the long face, Rinoa?" asked Irvine, wearing one of those Santa Claus  
  
hats instead of his cowboy hat.  
  
"Yea! It's Christmas!" said Selphie.  
  
"Don't remind me," I mumbled. Selphie and Irvine looked shocked.  
  
"You don't like Christmas, Rinoa?" asked Irvine. I nodded meekly.  
  
"Why? Christmas is like everyone's favorite holiday!" said Selphie.  
  
"Well, it's not mine. I gotta go; Squall told me to meet him in his office," I  
  
said, leaving Selphie and Irvine.  
  
"Ok, bye Rinny!" said Selphie.  
  
"See you, Rinoa!" said Irvine as he and Selphie walked towards the cafeteria.  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
When I walked into Squall's office, I was astonished when I saw him.  
  
"Did you lose a bet, Squall?"  
  
"Zell told me if I wore it he'd stop bothering me," explained Squall with a  
  
forlorn expression. I giggled-it was funny seeing Squall in a Santa Claus suit.  
  
"So, what is it you wanted to tell me?"  
  
"General Caraway called-"  
  
"What!? I don't want to go back! Especially now! Tell him I won't go back!"  
  
"That's what I told him, but-"  
  
"No! Squall, please, I wanna stay with you!"  
  
"After long deliberation, he decided to let you stay..." Squall put a finger on  
  
my lips before I could say anything.  
  
"On one condition: Accept his gift to you." I was afraid he was gonna say  
  
that. Ever since Mom disappeared, Father changed. I stopped opening his presents  
  
after he gave me a dagger for one Christmas. All of his presents for me consisted  
  
mainly of weapons and stones used to kill.  
  
"Well, ok. Where's the present?" I asked. Squall reached for a box in his  
  
pocket and held it out for me. I took it and examined it. Hmmm, it's too small to be  
  
another dagger, it could be poison. I began to open it when Squall took it away from  
  
me.  
  
"Squall!" I whined.  
  
"It says to open it on Christmas. I think you can wait to open it tomorrow,"  
  
said Squall. I pouted at him.  
  
"Please, Squall?"  
  
"No." When Squall says no, he means no. I sighed.  
  
"Fine, I'll open it tomorrow. Now can I have it back?" I asked.  
  
"No, I'll keep it for you. Don't worry, I promise to give it back to you  
  
tomorrow." I frowned at him.  
  
"Ok..." I said, leaving.  
  
"Rinoa, there's something else I need to tell you." I turned around.  
  
"You're invited to a private party tomorrow at the place in the training center.  
  
I'll pick you up at 5:30," said Squall.  
  
"A Christmas party?" Squall nodded.  
  
"I don't wanna go." Squall looked at me, confused.  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"Christmas is a time to be with your family. I...don't really have a family  
  
anymore, since my mom..." Tears escaped from my eyes as memories of  
  
Christmases spent with my family when Mom was alive and my father was a caring,  
  
loving man. Christmas always reminded me that Mom was dead and that I had an  
  
estranged relationship with my father.  
  
I felt Squall's arms around my waist and hugged him back.  
  
"Rinoa, your mother is deceased and your father is drifting away from you,  
  
but you still have a strong family." I looked up at Squall, confused at what he had  
  
said.  
  
"Selphie, Irvine, Zell, Quistis...They are your family too. They care a lot about  
  
you, just like a real family would," explained Squall. I was surprised and happy at  
  
the same time. Surprised because Squall rarely shows this side of him and happy  
  
that he cared about me.  
  
"You're in my family too, right?" I asked. Squall smiled.  
  
"Of course."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
Squall's conversation made me change my views on Christmas. I have a  
  
family who cares about how I feel and let me express myself in my own way.  
  
I looked through my closet, looking for something suitable to wear. I found a  
  
white sleeveless shirt, a red skirt, and a green ribbon to tie my hair with. I put the  
  
chosen clothes on and checked myself in the mirror. There was a knock on my door.  
  
"Hi Squall!" I greeted him with one of my biggest smiles. He smiled back.  
  
"Hey, Rinoa. You look...beautiful," he complimented. I smiled. I looked at his  
  
choice of outfit to the party. I frowned; he was wearing what he wore everyday.  
  
"Where's your Christmas spirit, Squall?" I asked. He frowned at me.  
  
"Whatever." I smiled and linked my arm with his.  
  
After battling a few Gnats, we arrived at the party. Selphie, Irvine, Zell,  
  
Quistis, Xu, and Nida were already there with presents under the table.  
  
"Rinoa! So, you changed your mind about Christmas?" asked Irvine. I nodded.  
  
"Yup! Squall helped me with that!" I said.  
  
"Well?" asked Quistis.  
  
"Well, what?" asked Squall.  
  
"Are you two gonna kiss or what?" asked Zell, grinning mischievously. I  
  
looked up and found a mistletoe hanging above me and Squall. I started blushing.  
  
What is Squall gonna do?  
  
He lowered his head; I closed my eyes and felt his soft lips on mine. My whole  
  
body started feeling tingly; even after Squall parted. Everyone gave whoops and  
  
whistled as I blushed even more and Squall turned pink.  
  
"Ok, present time!" said Selphie as she took the presents from under the table  
  
and handed it out to everyone. Squall turned to me and took my father's gift from his  
  
pocket. I took it from him and opened it, surprise to find a locket in the shape of a  
  
heart.  
  
I opened the locket and read what was inscribed inside:  
  
"'To Rinoa, I love you. From your father.'" Three words I never thought I  
  
would get from him. Tears sprung from my eyes as I put the necklace on.  
  
"I love you too...Daddy," I whispered. Squall hugged me and whispered into  
  
my ear,  
  
"Merry Christmas, Rinoa."  
  
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*  
  
sho,watcha think? reviews are appreciated!! ~Tenshi 


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